Russian Ecclesiastical Policy in the Shida Kartli (19th C.)

Transformation of Toponymic Vocabulary: how „Ossetia“and „South Ossetia“were forming in Georgia

Abstract

In the given work we tried to show some aspects of the ecclesiastical-missionary and religious policy of the Tsar’s Russia in the nineteenth century which had contributed to the formation of the Georgian-Ossetian relations, the creation of new administrative borders and the transformation of toponyms.

 By the Russian authorities on the territory of Shida Kartli Highland in 1814-1818 ecclesiastical-administrative unit  „Eparchy of Ossetia“ was established. At the same time, were opened a missionary society – „Ossetian Ecclesiastical Commission“. Establishing the „Eparchy of Ossetia“ marked the territory where the „Ossetian Ecclesiastical Commission“ had to carry out its missionary activity. Also the term „South Ossetia“ first occurred in the 60es of the nineteenth century in the reports of the missionary organisation _ „Society for the Restoration of Orthodox Christianity in the Caucasus“.

Thus, the grounding for the establishment of the terms „Ossetia“, „Eparchia of Osetia“, and „South Ossetia“ was created by the Russian religious policy which was next firmed up by administrative policy.